Forum of the local communities and municipalities

The aim for forum of local communities and authorities “Let’s make local authority Local!” on 20 of November in Rakvere is to share the experience of cooperation with local authorities and communities to promote open government, and to provide inspiration for new initiatives.

The discussions will be focusing on the well-functioning solutions regarded to collective actions of local administrations and communities in Estonia and abroad, and the local authorities and the community in joint ventures. These include examples of effective information exchange, organized jointly by the provision of young people and youth, etc.

Guest speakers of the forum are spokesman of local democracy from the Nordic States, including Norway and Island.

We are expecting to see active citizens and the representatives of nonprofit organizations, local authorities as well as from the state office.

Before the forum starts, we will organize a procedure in finding an example of good cooperations where we expect Estonian nonprofit organizations and local authorities can submit examples of best cooperations that will be presented in the forum.

Forum is taking place within the framework of „Open Government Partnership in local governments’’. Project is financed by the EEA NGO Fund grants through the Open Estonia Foundation.

Opening speech by Minister of Public Administration on government plans to bring local authorities up-to-date and its connection to opened management.

11:30

Debate on What is the role of communities during the administrative reform and afterwards? What needs to be done that power would not drift away from the people? The debate is happening between active, local level politicians and representatives of the NGOs

12:30

Coffee break. During the coffee and lunch break there will be poster-presentations on good examples of collaborations between communities and local authorities that promote opened management.

13:00

Topic discussions

1. discussion: Tips on how to raise the security of communities by involving volunteers.

2. discussion: How to encourage and fund local self-initiatives? Subsidising mechanisms, models and community services.

3. discussion: How to engage people into successful decision-making processes? Participatory budgeting as one tool in the toolbox?

14:00

Lunch

14:45

Topic discussions

1. discussion: How to encourage young people to participate in community life and local politics? (eGA)

2. discussion: Does social media unite or disaggregate communities

3. discussion: What are the benefits of VOLIS for authorities and communities?